


Baby, all I want for Christmas is you.

by rosewritesstuff



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Boyfriends, Christmas, Christmas Eve, College AU, Louis' Birthday, M/M, Non-Famous AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-24
Packaged: 2018-05-08 21:39:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5514284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosewritesstuff/pseuds/rosewritesstuff
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Louis' birthday is on Christmas Eve, which is really inconvenient when the love of your life lives in another town. He doesn't expect this year to be any different, but who knows? Maybe a little Christmas miracle occurs this time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Baby, all I want for Christmas is you.

**Author's Note:**

> (Or the one that came to my mind after watching The Adventurous Adventures of One Direction 3 and listening to Michael Buble's version of All I Want For Christmas Is You)

For Louis, every year since ever has been the same. Having your birthday on Christmas Eve can be so inconvenient, really. People get too busy with their stuff, they almost even forget that that day is supposed to be your special day. It's not fair either that he always end up receiving only one gift because of the date; I mean, it's not like he asked to be born on that day anyway, and for someone who loves having all the attention to himself, that could probably be the worst day to be born.

He didn't really complain about it until he grew up, though. As a kid, it was easier to make him happy. The lights and decorations around the town delighted him. There was a time when he even was proud of his birthday being on Christmas Eve, and he used to tell his friends that the town was that embellished because of him. That was a long time ago, though. Eventually he found out that his birthday had nothing to do with the decorations and that the collective happiness had nothing to do with him. 

He also discovered that it was an awful time to try to make a birthday party. When he was younger and all of his friends were from the same town as him, they were so busy with the Christmas' events. Last minute shopping, decoration, baking... They were kids, but even if they weren't personally busy with that stuff, his parents definitely were. They couldn't take some time to take their kids to some boy's party. And sometimes, even his own family was too busy to organize a bash. Growing up with little siblings, there always were last minute things to do, and for much that his mom loved him, that wasn't the right time of the year to spoil him as he would like it.

However, it wasn't really that bad until he started going to college. Living the whole year in London, he made friends from different parts of the country, all of whom returned to their respective towns for the holidays. It was even worse that way, because at least when he was a kid he could see his friends on the slow days in between of Christmas and New Year, because they were all in town, while his college friends stayed the whole time in their homes, far away from him. 

It has been particularly hard for him not seeing his once-best-friend-turned-into-lover, Harry, on his birthday.

When they first met, they immediately became best friends. They had so much in common even though Harry was younger than him. Louis started college a few years late. When he graduated from high school, he decided that he wanted to spare some time from studies and then dedicated a few years to waking up late, writing some songs just for himself and going to music festivals, so he was three years older than Harry when they first met at a cafe in the campus, the first week of their first semester. Louis was in a rush and ended up spilling his hot tea all over a tall boy, which made him panic until the boy looked back at him and he saw a cute expression on his face, and realized that even the boy was taller, he had to be younger than himself. He didn't understand why the boy had that sort of cute expression on his face when his shirt was all covered in tea, but somehow it made him relax a bit. At least he didn't seem like he was about to punch him, and that was good news.

Louis apologized for spilling his tea on him and Harry just laughed and introduced himself, telling him that he understood because he was in a hurry as well, his literature reading was about to start and he would have to run to get there in time. Coincidentally, Louis had the same class that him so he asked him if it was okay to go there together, and Harry nodded with a smile and the two boys headed to the classroom.

It was a matter of time for them to become really close to each other. Their age difference wasn't really that big, and it helped a lot that Louis always felt younger than his actual age while Harry had some kind of old soul. They had very similar taste in music and films and they just got along very well since the beginning. They started watching movies together and listening to their favorite albums only to discover that they had the same favorites, and they basically used to spend the majority of their free time together. 

However, they were from different towns so, when the holidays arrived, they had to part ways. It wasn't so hard in the summer, though. Since they had the same tastes, they spent a lot of time going to festivals, camping and such, but when it was about the holidays, they really had to separate from each other.

The first year didn't seemed so hard. Even though they were already friends, they weren't as close as to really feel true sadness for not seeing the other. They talked on the phone on Louis' birthday and he became suddenly so happy because Harry remembered it. It shouldn't have been a surprise though since Harry mentioned his birthday at least three times a day for about two weeks before the date. Anyway, Louis thought that it was a really sweet detail, and he was more than joyful when the first day at college after the holiday's break Harry gave him a copy of the new album from The Killers for his birthday, he said, and after his joyful moment, Louis felt bad because he didn't got nothing for Harry. However, he managed to fix it by giving him a gift card for iTunes that he was planning on using himself. Harry's smile was better than anyyhing that could be bought.

The second year was harder. Having spent more than a year of friendship now, Louis felt really sad for not being able to spend his birthday with Harry, being even worse because Harry got sick for two weeks before the break, so he went home earlier and Louis didn't see him for what seemed like such a long time. However, he spent the majority of the day talking on the phone to a flu-affected Harry. His voice, normally deep, was even deeper because of the flu, and he told him a lot of times that his throat was sore, but he said that since he wasn't able to do the normal things that people do on Christmas Eve, he preferred to talk with him on his special day. That was the day that a Harry dizzy from all the medicines kind of confessed the kind of feelings that he was developing for Louis through a call before Christmas Eve ended. Louis' heart throbbed hard on his chest by the sudden revelation and he spent the rest of the night with Harry's words echoing on repeat through his head. Right before he felt asleep, he could've or could've not admitted to himself in the darkness of his childhood room that he was developing romantic kind of feelings for Harry too, which somehow managed to make the rest of his birthday -and the break- more acceptable, since he found himself smiling like a teenage fool singing to carols the next day.

The third year was even more difficult. After that confession made in the dizziness of medicines on Christmas Eve, Louis and Harry started seeing things in a different way when they finally saw each other after the break. They started hanging around more, not calling it dating until Harry's birthday, on February 1st, when he baked himself a cake for Harry and wrote a long letter confessing his deepest feelings. After that day, they were properly dating, with good moments being way more abundant than the bad ones. However, Louis started to feel the blue when December started. He knew that Harry was going to his hometown with his family, but he still wished that he could go with him instead and spend his birthday with him. It didn't occurred, of course, and Louis spent all the Christmas Eve wandering around his mom's house with cups of rum until he got drunk enough to excuse himself and stay in his room for the rest of the day. He was embarrassed the next day, Christmas Day, and said that that wouldn't happen ever again, then apologized to his mom and his sisters and spent the day with a killer hangover watching Christmas movies with them on the sofa. 

Maybe he dramatized a bit too much. He could've just spent the day with his family, just like Harry was doing. Harry called him, after all. It wasn't like he had forgotten his birthday, not at all. He called him in the morning and talked to him for an hour or so, until he had to left to go shopping with his sister, only after telling him a hundred times that he loved him so much and that he wished they could be together that day, but Christmas is Christmas and you have to do what you have to do. It wasn't that bad, really, but also Louis really had a tendency to create dramas and feeling awful about his luck, even when had a really caring boyfriend who probably was wrapping a present to give to him as soon as he saw him after the holidays.

For that reason, this year Louis really tried to behave better. For his family, for Harry, and for his own sake. He avoided talking about Christmas plans the most that he could since he knew that that could only led to a dramatic end in which he would just complain about how much he hates having his birthday on Christmas Eve. However, when there's just a week left for Christmas, it's somehow impossible not to talk about it. One day he and Harry went to the mall to look for presents for Harry's mom, and Harry's schedule came to the conversation. He would leave to his hometown in two days, and he was really happy about it because he missed his mom and sister so much. Louis tried to seem happy for him, really, but all he could think of was of how much he wished that Harry were with him instead. He knew that it was a selfish thought; Harry was his all year and he only had some weeks to be with his family, and he himself should enjoy that time as well, but he really didn't feel that way. It's not that he didn't miss his siblings, but he also wanted to be with Harry. It was their last year of college and no one ever knows what happens after that, so spending the most of his time with the person who he was completely in love with was his real priority.

It didn't seem possible, though. After Harry departed to his town, Louis decided that he couldn't stand another minute there being surrounded by his loneliness. He would've thought of calling one of his friends, but they all had left the city as well, so for better or worse, he left too. 

Louis took a train and arrived in the evening. It was still December 21st, so he had what seemed like a lot of time to kill. He hadn't told his mom that he was arriving early, so when he broke into their house, his mom's smile couldn't have been bigger. At least that was worth it, along with his younger sisters' expressions of affection. He spent time with them watching movies and doing whatever that they wanted to do, and he found himself into a really good mood, actually enjoying the holidays this time. At least until the night before Christmas Eve, after his sisters went to bed and he realized that he had a lot of time to himself, basically to start thinking about how much he missed Harry, once again.

He called Harry at some point past 10 P.M., hoping that the boy would pick up the phone, and he did. Harry didn't seem actually surprised. Louis guessed that by this point, Harry knew him well enough to know that he would end up having one of those dramatic breakdowns at any moment, and he was damn right. Louis told him how much he missed him although he really had enjoyed the past days, but something about his birthday somehow turned a button on and he started feeling that way again. Harry told him that it was okay, that he really understood and that he wished that they could be together as much as he did, and reassured him that he loved him and that he would call him the next day to wish him a happy birthday and that everything would be fine, but something in his tone made Louis feel weird. It was like Harry was being so automatic, maybe. Like he had all of those things that he said planned and that he didn't really meant them, which only made him feel worse. So, sad as he could be, Louis just went to bed before the clock ticked midnight and his nightmare of a birthday began again.

In the morning, though, Louis was woken up by a bright light getting through the curtains, as if the sky had forgotten that they were in December and that the sun wasn't supposed to shine that bright. He didn't knew why, but he took that as a signal that maybe the day wasn't going to be that bad. But that thought quickly vanished when he checked the hour and realized that it was noon and he still hadn't gotten a call from Harry. Okay, he was sleeping, but Harry wouldn't knew that. Why hadn't he called him yet?

After debating for some minutes what his next step would be, Louis decided to go downstairs only to find an empty house and a note on the kitchen's table writing that his mom and sisters were out shopping and that they could be back probably on the evening. Great. Freaking great. They choose shopping over him in that precise day, and he wasn't really surprised. He ate some cereal and went back to the living room, taking some time to check his phone again just to see notifications from his friends, wishing him a happy birthday. He thanked them, he really appreciated that they remembered it and was very touched by the action, especially since his boyfriend hadn't even shown a sign of life yet. Grumpy as hell, Louis decided to watch whatever that was airing on the tv, looking at all the Christmas decorations that were embellishing the house this year. They were beautiful, and he would've appreciated them if he wasn't feeling that sad.

The afternoon continued to go on like that, until he got a message from an unknown number when it was beginning to get dark outside. 

"Lou! I don't know where I left my phone and we didn't got reception until now. Can you call me here? H x"

With some heavy feeling, Louis decided after some good ten minutes to call to that number. He was more bitter than before, because now Harry had at least contacted him, but he didn't even mention his birthday. What the hell was wrong with him?

"Hi? It's Louis here" -he said, when someone on the other side picked the call.  
"Oh, you're calling Harry, right?" -a woman's voice asked. Oh... Really!?  
"I guess so... Who are you?" -Louis asked with a tone of accusation and received a laughter in response.  
"I'm Harry's sister, Gem, no need to get jealous. The moron lost his phone. Let me give him the phone". Well, at least it was his sister.  
"Lou! Happy birthday, love! Sorry for not calling you before, it was so crazy, but it will be worthy, you can bet on it" -a cheerful Harry said to a now stupefied Louis. After he didn't say a word, Harry spoke again- "Lou? Are you there?"  
"Yes, I'm... I'm here. What's going to be worth, Harry?"  
"Your birthday and Christmas gift, of course"  
"What? What do you mean?"  
"Can you send me your address to this number, Lou?"  
"My address? What... Harry, what's going on?" -Louis asked, almost shocked.  
"I'm giving you what you wanted for Christmas, Lou. That's what's going on"  
"Are you... Here? In Doncaster?"  
"Where else would I be if I wanted to surprise you?"  
"Are you being serious?"  
"Of course I am, Lou! Now just send me the info, gotta get a cab to go and hug you"  
"Oh... Sure. I'll send it to you. I gotta hang up then" -Louis replied with shaky voice, and then Harry replied as well with a sweet laugh.  
"Got it, babe. See you in a bit"

And then he ended the call. That call. It almost left Louis in some sort of catatonic state. He couldn't believe that that was actually happening. Harry wouldn't lie to him, would he? No. He definitely won't. He knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't do that, and also he sounded really enthusiastic. Had he really gone to another town on Christmas Eve just to be with him? What about his family? Well, the phone was his sister's, but still. And what about his mom? Louis' mind started working so fast with all those questions. He always said that all he wanted was to be with Harry on his birthday, but now, with the possibility being absolutely real, he started feeling really selfish. Maybe his own family had left him alone on his birthday, but now Harry had left his family on Christmas Eve for him. Or at least that's what he thought. He didn't understand a thing, to be honest, so he just kept sat down on the couch staring at a particularly shiny snowflake made of plastic. 

After half an hour or so, someone knocked the door. Louis got out of his trance to realize that it was dark now and that he was sitting alone in the middle of the darkness with the same clothes from the day before. As he walked to the door, he turned up some lights and checked himself on a mirror in the hallway to make sure that he wasn't looking like some zombie. He looked acceptable, so he just went straight to the door and opened it.

The tall figure in front of him was looking to the street, but turned around to him as soon as he opened the door just to look at him for a couple of seconds before throwing himself at him and wrapping him in the tightest hug he had received in ages. He wrapped his arms as he could around the taller boy to let all of those sad thoughts that he had had since the night before go away. Harry was with him. On his birthday, which was also Christmas Eve, and it was way more perfect than he could've ever dreamed of.

After breaking the hug, Louis looked at Harry's face and saw how his smile started to vanish.

"Harry? What's wrong?" -Louis asked, concerned.  
"I ask the same! Why are you crying? What's wrong?"  
"What? I'm not... Am I crying?" -with all the commotion, Louis didn't realize that he had started crying at some point, and only noticed when he took his fingers to his cheeks and felt the wetness. But it wasn't sad tears, it was his pure happiness pouring out his eyes. -"Oh, I'm crying! But don't worry -he laughed- it's just the commotion of having you here and... I'm just so happy, Harry, you have no idea!"  
"I think I can imagine it" -Harry laughed. "You look like I have just opened the heaven's gates"  
"You did. At least figuratively" -they both laughed and held hands until Louis invited Harry to go into the house. He showed him the living room, the kitchen and then just took him upstairs, straight to his room. They both sat on the edge of the bed, holding hands in silence, until Louis finally talked.

"Why are you here, Harry?"  
"Well, basically because it's your birthday, Lou" -Harry replied with a smile.  
"But... It's Christmas Eve. Don't think that I don't want you to be here, I'm still recovering from the shock, by the way, but what about your family? I didn't want you to leave them on this day"  
"Is that what worries you?" -Harry smiled widely. "Don't worry about that, they're here. Well, not here here. Here in a hotel. I'll have to go there later though, I forgot to get my luggage here"  
"Are you staying here?" -a still shocked Louis asked.  
"As long as you want me to. If you don't, I can go back with my mum and sister"  
"No, no. You can stay here, of course. I just... I still can't believe it. This is... This is the best thing that someone has ever done for me, Harry" -Louis said, sighing.  
"Well, you're the only person that I've loved this much, Louis, besides from my mom and sis, so... It's worth it." -Louis heart skipped a beat at those words and couldn't help but threw himself over Harry to kiss him like there was no tomorrow, ending up rolling in the bed and laughing like the happiest child on earth.

After a few minutes, something popped up in Louis' head and started bugging him, so he just said it out loud.

"Harry..."  
"Yes, Lou?"  
"You did this and... I haven't got you a present yet" -then Harry laughed and looked straight to Louis' eyes when he talked.  
"It's not necessary, Lou. It's your birthday -he said, emphasizing the 'your' in the sentence -and if you're going to say that it's for Christmas, don't. I already have what I wanted. You gave it to me, actually"  
"Really? What?"  
"You, of course. All I wanted for Christmas was to be with you, and oh, now I'm in fact with you. It's perfect this way, Lou."  
"It is perfect indeed, Harry, it is. Thank you. And I love you"  
"Thanks to you, and I love you more."

And like that they just kept spending what was left of the day together, doing nothing and at the same time everything that they needed. And if we add to that the fact that Louis' mom and sisters arrived with a precious birthday cake and some special presents to him, there couldn't have a been a happier person in the planet. The best birthday that he could ever dream of, courtesy of his beloved Harry, and a Christmas for Louis to never forget.

Seems like the ray of sunshine was right. It was a true Christmas miracle.


End file.
